Milton & Pierston Militia List 1798

©Transcribed for the Dorset OPC by Joy Waters
Milton and Pierston are within the Gillingham tything

Militia List 1798

Dorset History Centre

The Dorset History Centre provides the following background on these records:

English militias were part-time military units established at the county level for home defence. After a dormant period following the Civil War, they were reinstated by the 1757 Militia Act. When volunteers proved insufficient, a parish selected men by ballot. These men then either served or found a substitute to take their place.

The Lord Lieutenant for each county was responsible for arming, training and mustering able-bodied men. When the Militia was raised, each county was given a quota of men and the Lord Lieutenant would allocate this number between the hundreds in his county.

Lists of able-bodied men between 18 and 50 (after 1762 the age was lowered to 45) in each tithing were drawn up and from these lists the names of those who were to serve in the militia were selected by ballot. Ministers of Religion, apprentices, doctors and parish officers were exempt from militia service.

Militia list 1798

for Milton and Pierston

A true list of all persons usually and at this time dwelling within the Parish Tything, or place of Milton and Preston between the ages of 18 and 45 distinguishing their Ranks and Occupations, Family, Size, Exemptions and Infirmities. Dated the 17 th day of November 1798

NameRank or OccupationWifeChildrenSizeSizeExemptions or Infirmities
  <10yrsFtIns
Jno. MatthewsYeoman  510 
Wm. CaveYeoman  55 
Geo. HedditchYeoman  510 
James MatthewsYeoman  56in Cavalry
Lawrence HooperYeoman  57 
Harry DoggrellYeoman  56 
Robert JupeTick Manufacturer  56 
Stephen BullLabourer  55 
William MitchellTick Manufacturer  510dangerously ill
Jno. MitchellTick Manufacturer  58 
IllegibleIllegible  52 
Thos GrayIllegible  55 
IllegibleIllegible  56 
William Car****Smith  510 
Harry Gray?Cordwainer  56 
Edward CowardBaker  54 
Edmund SnookLabourer  55 
Charles BartlettLabourer  56 
Edward ToogoodLabourer  55 
Wm. HedditchYeoman  55 
Barnard HedditchYeoman  55 
Thos. ButtLabourer  54 
Harry ButtLabourer  55 
Thos. DoggrellLabourer  52 
Samuel ReadLabourer1256 
Geo. HedditchLabourer  56 
Ambrose? Cl?****Yeoman  55in Cavalry
Jno. HedditchYeoman  54 
J? ShepherdWeaver  56 
J? Haimes?Illegible1255shoulder slips out

All persons who think themselves aggrieved by their names being inserted on this list, or by the omission of others, may make their appeal at the Swan Inn, Sturminster Newton on Thursday next the 22 nd of this inst. At 10 o'clock in the forenoon as no appeal will be afterwards heard.

Thomas Matthews

Tythingman Militia List 1798


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